Chavez writes off Haiti's oil debt to Venezuela

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Irish Sun

Chavez writes off Haiti's oil debt to Venezuela
Irish Sun
Tuesday 26th January, 2010
(IANS)

Caracas, Jan 26 (IANS/EFE) President Hugo Chavez has announced that he will write off the undisclosed sum Haiti owes Venezuela for oil as part of a regional bloc's plans to help the impoverished Caribbean nation after the devastating Jan 12 earthquake.

'Haiti has no debt with Venezuela, just the opposite: Venezuela has a historical debt with that nation, with that people for whom we feel not pity but rather admiration, and we share their faith, their hope,' Chavez said after the extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas, or ALBA.

He also announced that ALBA has decided on a comprehensive plan that includes an immediate donation of $20 million to Haiti's health sector, and a fund that, Chavez said, will be at least $100 million 'for starters'.

Oil-rich Venezuela is the economic heart of ALBA, which also includes Cuba, Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Haiti is among several countries that send observers to ALBA meetings.

Chavez said one part of ALBA assistance to Haiti would consist of fuel distribution via 'mobile service stations' set to be up and running within a few weeks.

Read more: http://story.irishsun.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/2411cd3571b4f088/id/593414/cs/1/

[EFerrari]

1. And this is why the vultures hate ALBA.

K&R

[roguevalley]

64. bravo

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Ah now the IMF and the WB are in a fight to see who's better

at least while they apply shock doctrine in the US, I can follow this real politik fight... will be amusing.

[Vidar]

3. Good for Chavez.

[slay]

4. +1

Chavez does some good things.. from time to time.. I'd like to see him do more to help the poor but this is a great move by him. Bravo Hugo.

[Mopar151]

5. Gotta give credit where it's due.

"You say that I'm a criminal, you say that I'm a thief - well, here's a load of groceries, for the families on releif"
Woody/Arlo Guthrie, "Pretty Boy Floyd"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6L79a7D11o

[ronnie624]

12. I think I get it.

President Chavez is sort of like the outlaw in the song, who paid the poor farmer's mortgage, gave the hungry stranger a thousand dollar bill, and bought a car load of groceries for the needy family on relief, only President Chavez didn't kill a sheriff (or anyone).

Interesting.

[demoleft]

39. haha :), you always kill me with your terse telegrams.

great.

:)

[sabrina 1]

6. He's been helping Haiti for years ~

Now, let's see the IMF forgive Haiti's debt.

Chavez puts his money and his actions where his mouth is. He has said that Haiti's debt should be forgiven by the IMF. Now he's shown them how it's done.

Instead of forgiving debt, the IMF wants to put Haiti in more debt, offering another loan of $100,000,000 right after the earthquake.

It should be an international cause to force the IMF not only to forgive Haiti's debt but to pay back some of the money Haiti has already paid them.

Good for ALBA and for Chavez.

[Matilda]

65. Avaaz.org has a petition asking creditors to forgive Haiti's debt.

I received an email this morning, and they were close to their target figure.

If you want to sign, here's a link:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/haiti_drop_the_debt/

[winyanstaz]

7. That is a very good and kind thing to do.....

Now if the rest of the world will be as gracious and magnanimous it would help Haiti recover.

[dipsydoodle]

24. ditto

All aid should be in the form of gift, not loan and any current debt written off.

[Sultana]

8. Nice gesture

but he is still a dick

[EFerrari]

9. Right. Everyone else from Bill Clinton to the Heritage Foundation to the IMF

is figuring out how to make a buck on the backs of dead Haitians. Chavez writes off their debt. What a dick!

[avaistheone1]

10. Chavez must be a bad man if he did this.

It appears that he does not worship at the altar of corporatism and greed. What the hell is the matter with him?


:sarcasm:

[EFerrari]

11. He's just trying to buy the Haitian vote.

:sarcasm:

[avaistheone1]

13. LOL

That sick bastard. He must be from the axis of evil.

[EFerrari]

14. Oh, that's too good.

lol

[avaistheone1]

15. I like it too.

I think it would make a great t-shirt or bumper sticker.

[EFerrari]

16. I used to make t shirts out of images like that with that paper they sell

for printers -- I think they're heat transfers.

What it would need is one of those plastic spin needles that used to come with board games. :)

[defendandprotect]

17. Love it -- Terrific move by Chavez and the people of Venezuela ....

[struggle4progress]

18. Apparently AFP is reporting this much as the Irish times did, whereas WSJ says

Venezuela is refusing to do so. London's Financial Times seems to think this impossible, given Venezuela's economic situation

Venezuela's Chavez forgives Haiti's debt
26 January 2010 | 03:29 | FOCUS News Agency
Caracas. President Hugo Chavez on Monday said that Petrocaribe, Venezuela's cut-rate regional energy alliance, will forgive quake-stricken Haiti's debt, AFP reported ...

Venezuela's Chavez Sidesteps Haiti Debt Relief Requests
President Hugo Chavez refused Monday to respond to calls by rich nations for Venezuela to forgive the debt Haiti owes it ... http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100125-714190.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines

[EFerrari]

19. That's really interesting, the reporting spread. n/t

[rabs]

20. WSJ story is incorrect. Chavez has ordered debt canceled

Reporting spread also caught my attention, so went over to ABN

WSJ used Dow Jones newswire, which got it completely wrong. (translation error of "condonar"?)

-------------------

Presidente Chávez anunció condonación de deuda que posee Haití con Venezuela

Caracas, 25 Ene. ABN.- El presidente de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela, Hugo Chávez Frías, anunció este lunes que el Gobierno venezolano condonará la deuda que posee Haití con el país.


The verb "condonar" = to cancel, forgive, waive.

http://www.abn.info.ve/noticia.php?articulo=217230&lee=4

[EFerrari]

21. Do you think the DJ can't hire good interpretes?

Maybe I'm just too cynical.

The media distortion has just seemed to pick up this last year. Which isn't what I expected but, there it is.

[rabs]

22. Dow Jones reporter would appear to have an agenda

DJ has a reporter in Caracas named Dan Molinski. Same guy who couple of days ago wrote story that "Venezuela Has Leftist-Led Plans To Help Rebuild Haiti"


http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201001251745dowjonesdjonline000285&title=venezuelas-chavez-sidesteps-haiti-debt-relief-requests

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201001241530dowjonesdjonline000278&title=venezuela-has-leftist-led-plans-to-help-rebuild-haiti

Off topic: Have you allowed the sea lions to return to their wharf?

[EFerrari]

23. They're not back yet so I figured we better stock up on water and flashlight batteries.

:)

[ronnie624]

33. An interesting contortion of the facts.

The wording of the article is clearly contrived to lead the reader to believe something that isn't true, without actually telling a blatant lie.

[struggle4progress]

26. Thanks!

[Warren Stupidity]

25. OUTRAGE!

[melm00se]

27. an interesting (and cynical)

question to ask here is:

Ok, Venezuela cancels the Haitian (past) oil debt. Now does this clear the way for additional, new debt at a higher price point for the oil that Haiti will buy in the future?

or, to hang some (hypothetical) numbers on it:

If Haiti buys/borrows ~4,000,000 barrels of oil/year (source: http://www.indexmundi.com/haiti/oil_imports.html) at an average of $40/bbl that works out to be $175,000,000.00.

Venezuela cancels that debt, knowing full well that:

a) oil prices will continue to move upward
b) Haiti will continue to need oil in the future

So Haiti buys those same ~4,000,000 bbl/year of oil but this time at an average of $70/bbl. Venezuela writes off $175 million to make $306 million, netting them $131 million.

that's not a bad trade off.

[Judi Lynn]

32. I posted an article at DU recently mentioning they will make oil available to Haiti

to cover all their needs.

I can look for it later, if you want to read that one. Here's another one on the same subject I found in a quick google:

Chavez Offers Limitless Fuel To Haiti
Special To The Black Star News
January 19th, 2010

In response to severe gasoline shortages that have plagued Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck the island nation on January 12, President Hugo Chavez announced that Venezuela would provide Haiti with all the gasoline and diesel that it needs.

He made the announcement on his weekly talk show, Alo Presidente, on Sunday, January 17.

A shipment of 225,000 barrels of gasoline and diesel from PDVSA, Venezuela’s state owned oil company, will be received on Thursday by the Refineria Dominicana de Petroleo, S.A. (Refidomsa) refinery in the Dominican Republic for use in Haiti. The shipment will include gasoline and other oil products for the generation of electricity and for vehicles, including airplanes.

Prior to the earthquake, Haiti consumed 11,000 barrels of oil products per day.

Since the earthquake struck, Haiti has suffered gas shortages that have hampered search-and-rescue operations, the delivery of aid and basic reconstruction efforts.

On January 13 Venezuela sent a C-130 transport plane to Port-au-Prince with supplies, tools, food, doctors and a specialized humanitarian team. A second flight carried needed medicines, sanitation equipment, water and a variety of food products. Since the earthquake struck, Venezuela has sent over 5,000 metric tons of foodstuffs for use in Haiti.

A sixth shipment of humanitarian assistance took place on Monday, January 18, with two cargo ships bearing 125 soldiers and humanitarian workers, 616 tons of foodstuffs and 116 tons of machinery for reconstruction.

On Monday two additional shipments from the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA, in Spanish) left the coastal state of Carabobo with 4,761 tons of foodstuffs.

More:
http://blackstarnews.com/news/122/ARTICLE/6226/2010-01-19.html

[WriteDown]

35. That makes zero sense...

His own people have rolling blackouts. Also, the amount of fuel will depend on the speed it can be refined.

[ronnie624]

36. But Venezuela is far better off than Haiti.

And if the Venezuelan government was looking after its own interests instead of helping Haiti, you would be critical of that too, so it is really you that makes no sense. Ever.

[WriteDown]

37. Sorry, your first job as leader is to look after your own people...

So if his own people's home dialysis machines stop functioning at 2PM on a Tuesday due to rolling blackouts, that is his first priority. His commitment to Haiti is great, but I've got to wonder about priorities. Also, making statements about "gringoes" is garbage at a time when all should be working together. .

[ronnie624]

40. Not necessarily. In times of disaster there may be other priorities.

Maybe this is one of them.

As for the rolling blackouts, I'll bet there have been provisions made for people with special medical needs. I seem to recall reading an article about that. I have to leave early today, so I won't have time to search.

Ideologically driven opinions are usually irrational, and not really that interesting.

[WriteDown]

41. No, it is very much like a parent. If there is a fire....

and you leave your own child to rescue a stranger's child there will be a lot of questions. Especially from your "family."

[ronnie624]

44. Except, of course, for the fact that it isn't like that at all.

That's just another opinion (a poorly devised one, at that). As such, it is impossible either to refute or support with documentation.

Bye now.

[WriteDown]

45. Okay, because you said so.

:rofl:

[LanternWaste]

60. Much as did you...

"because you said so..."
Much as did you.

Seeing that your entire premise rests upon your own personal interpretation of the duties and responsibilities of Venezuelan leadership, I imagine the same derisive retort you so gallantly and valiantly threw out will invariable be thrown back. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

[bitchkitty]

47. I don't think that

the average Venezuelan sees it like you do. I doubt they are as selfish as you and your gang.

Please post a link or link to any stories about home dialysis machines or other medical equipment that stopped functioning due to blackouts. Thanks in advance.

[WriteDown]

53. I'm sure some Venezuelan posters will get on and post about it. nt

[bitchkitty]

59. Oh, yes - like Summermoondancer?

No thanks. Tell them not to punch in.

[Flaneur]

50. And the US should not have helped Haiti because of our economic problems?

Give it a rest.

[WriteDown]

52. Did your lights go out today?

Apples and Oranges.

[Flaneur]

57. Actually, we did have power outages in the Bay area these past few days.

Your point? You seem to be polemically suggesting that countries with problems should solve those first instead of helping Haiti. I say the US has economic problems, too.

I applaud Venezuela and all the other countries that lent a hand. How about you?

[bemildred]

58. A few years back we had rolling blackouts, brownouts, and grid failures.

But that was "different".

[melm00se]

46. in the short term

yes but the question still stands especially when a longer time line is factored in.

[ronnie624]

48. Your question is answered by simply searching for information and examining past conduct.

The Venezuelan government has shown an obvious propensity for helping those in need. Remember all the reduced-price oil it has sold, even to those in the United States?

[WriteDown]

28. Good for Chavez , but....

Like with any US aid, I will be watching to see what percentage actually gets ot the people.

[slackmaster]

29. Now, if he could only supply enough electrical power for his own people

He might actually start looking like a real leader rather than a demagogue who lives on publicity stunts.

[WriteDown]

30. He's helping his people be more environmentally conscious. nt

[slackmaster]

38. VISIONARY LEADERSHIP!

:rofl:

[bitchkitty]

31. God, I love this man.

Pure grace and generosity. His only "flaw" is that he is plainspoken - not exactly a flaw in my eyes.

Viva Chavez!

[WriteDown]

34. These kind of comments always crack me up....

If I had that sort of feeling for any leader, I would probably move to be under their "rule." And yet few ever do.

[bitchkitty]

42. If I weren't so sick, I'd go in a heartbeat.

As it is, I have a few years left with my family. I'll bite the bullet for them.

[David__77]

55. Like the McCarthyite "go live in Russia!"

It's nonsense. The best thing is to stay in one's own country and try to transform it in one's own worldview.

[WriteDown]

67. Not sure about that....

Would you stay in Zimbabwe or Somalia or how about Haiti if you had the opportunity to leave?

[Peace Patriot]

43. And the IMF just saddled Haiti with a $100 million LOAN...

...to be paid off by generations of Haitian slave labor for the global corporate predators whom Bill Clinton and the spawn-of-the-devil are assembling to swoop down on Haiti to "rebuild" it?

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1420120920100114

Interesting discussions of how leftist activists got the IMF to make it an interest-free loan and to proceed on Haiti debt elimination
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion/519364/imf_clarifies_terms_of_haiti_s_loan
http://www.one.org/blog/2010/01/22/rachel-maddow-on-imf-haiti-loan/

Stay tuned...

[dipsydoodle]

49. I'da thunk

that will encourage mis-use of gifted aid money in the future. x(

Thanks for posting.

[EFerrari]

51. I didn't realize it had been finalized.

Just last week the IMF was making a new demand -- the one about freezing the wages of public employees? So, how could they do that if the ink is already dry? Poor Haiti. I guess the IMF can do whatever it wants to them.

[ronnie624]

54. "The new funding is additional debt incurred by the country." n/t

[ronnie624]

56. I was unaware of the Facebook group, No Shock Doctrine for Haiti.

I'm a registered member, but I rarely log on.

Thanks for posting.

[bamacrat]

61. What a horrbile man? How will Faux spin this? Feeding strays again?

[ellie]

62. Awesome!

Rock on Hugo!

[Peace Patriot]

63. Just want to mention the $21 billion that Aristide demanded of France in slavery reparations.

It is rumored to be one of the reasons that Bush Jr. toppled Haitian democracy and sent thugs to kidnap and exile Aristide, in 2004--trying to repair relations with France after France balked at the invasion of Iraq. The $21 billion figure is derived from the amount that Haiti was forced to pay France as the price for their liberty, back when the successful slave revolt occurred (1825). It is an exact reckoning. It is actually not reparations; it is repayment of that extorted amount. Many believe that that huge extortion--enforced by violence and threats of attack from Napoleon's forces--broke Haiti's economy so badly that it never recovered and also laid the basis for France's modern wealth through other colonial exploitations.

Fr. Artistide--a Jesuit priest who was elected president of Haiti by a big majority--was trying to do for Haiti what Mel Zelaya was trying to do for Honduras--asserting the country's sovereignty vis a vis global corporate predators, on issues like poor wages, and asserting the will of the majority vis a vis Haiti's tiny rich elite (the 1% of the population who own 99% of the land). He sought fairness through democratic means. For this, for daring to challenge former colonial ruler France on its responsibility for Haiti's terrible poverty and perhaps because Haiti is only 100 miles from Cuba, the Bushwhacks destroyed Haitian democracy and installed a puppet leader.

But that repayment from France is still due. The U.S. and others also owe Haiti for many decades of exploitation and subjugation. When you steal a country's wealth, with slave or semi-slave labor, or with exploitation of the land, or other resources, or via onerous debt, or through interference with their government's decisions, or however you do it, you make more wealth out of it, over time. This is what the wealthy nations have done to the poor nations, for centuries, using bludgeon power to do so. The aid being given to Haiti--one of the poorest of exploited nations--is not really charity; it is owed--and we can be sure that the people who have suffered the most from the Bushwhacks' lash and that of others before them, including Clinton, will be the last to see benefit from this aid, beyond the delayed triage in which many more died, due to the US landing of troops that weren't needed in order to control Haitian reconstruction and keep it out of Haitian hands.

[unkachuck]

66. a fine, noble, humanitarian gesture....

....from a fine, noble, humanitarian head of state....

[New Dawn]

68. K&R !

[harun]

69. Vive Chavez! That's walking the walk.

[classysassy]

70. The native people of south america

are taking control of their countries and it dosen't sit well with the euro/crooks.The rape and plunder of those countries are coming to a halt,the crooks and their suporters are angry,too bad you evil mfs.

[EFerrari]

71. IMF chief in U-turn as Venezuela cancels Haiti debt

Wednesday 27 January 2010

International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn has made a U-turn on the US-dominated financial institution's attempt to burden earthquake-devastated Haiti with another $100 million (£61.7m) of debt.

Mr Strauss-Kahn declared that he now supported efforts to "delete all the Haitian debt, including our new loan," following criticism from leaders such as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who announced his own country's immediate cancellation of a $295m (£182m) debt on Monday.

Haiti's debt to Venezuela was run up under the Petrocaribe initiative which offers member countries the chance to purchase Venezuelan oil on preferential terms.

Mr Chavez declared: "Haiti has no debt with Venezuela - on the contrary, it is Venezuela that has a historic debt with Haiti thanks to the support that Haiti gave to Simon Bolivar," and the struggle for independence from Spain in the 19th century.


http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/86115

:party: